A wide variety of disposable absorbent articles which are designed not only to be efficient in the absorption of body fluids such as urine, blood, menses and the like, but also to be sanitary and comfortable in-use, are known in literature. Disposable absorbent products of this type generally comprise a fluid-permeable topsheet material, an absorbent core (or a fluid storage layer), and a fluid-impermeable backsheet material. Various shapes, sizes and thicknesses of such articles have been explored in an attempt to make their use more comfortable and convenient.
Recently, research has been focused on the removal of unpleasant odours. Many body fluids have an unpleasant odour (or a malodour), or develop such an odour when in contact with air and/or bacteria for prolonged periods. Urine and/or other exudates absorbed into the absorbent article can be converted to ammonia by urease produced by micro-organisms present in the urogenital (vaginal, fecal, skin . . . ) flora. Among others, ammonia could become a source of unpleasant odours. Furthermore, typical malodours related to the use of hygiene absorbent articles include fatty acids, amines, sulphur containing compounds, ketones, aliphatic acids and aldehydes.
Many attempts have been made to prevent malodours to be perceived by the user of disposable absorbent articles. One approach is disclosed in EP2468309A1 in which cyclodextrin is complexed with a menthol family compound and an ionone in an absorbent article. In order for the cyclodextrin complex to effectively release the components of the cyclodextrin complex, the complex needs to come in contact with moisture. Also here, a problem with such an odour control system exists when incorporating a cyclodextrin complex in an absorbent article, because other components, such as the absorbent core and/or superabsorbent material, of the absorbent article have a strong affinity for bodily fluids. When an absorbent article comes in contact with bodily fluid, such as menses or urine, the cyclodextrin complex is thus in competition with the absorbent core and/or superabsorbent material for the moisture contained in the bodily fluid. This competition thereby reduces the amount of moisture available to contact the cyclodextrin complex and limits the effective action of the odour control system. Another disadvantage to this odour control system is that it only provides a way to mask the malodours and does not prevent/limit the formation of new malodours, for example produced by degradation of blood, urine and/or other exudates by micro-organisms.
EP2083873B1 discloses an absorbent article wherein an organic zinc salt such as zinc ricinoleate and an anti-microbial agent or alkali metal chloride or alkaline earth metal chloride interact to reduce malodours such as ammonia. Also here, disadvantages are linked to the proposed solution as the antibacterial agents used are from non-natural origin, which can cause safety issues.
Each of these approaches has its drawback. None of prior art has identified a disposable absorbent article to effectively suppress a multitude of different types of malodours from bodily fluids.
Therefore, an ongoing demand exists in the art for effective odour control systems in absorbent articles. In particular, it would be desirable to provide an odour control system which achieves efficient odour reduction.
The present invention aims to resolve at least some of the problems mentioned above.
The invention thereto aims to provide an improved hygienic article with an odour control system that is able to diminish the perception of all odours related to bodily excretions present on the hygiene article, with a focus on vaginal secretions, blood, sweat, urine, ammonia and others.